New Guidance for Landlords and Tenants
This morning at 0.20 the Government announced new non-statutory for landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors. As the Courts re-open today this guidance may have been issued to clarify the position on certain key points relating to the landlord - tenant relationship:-
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Measures relating to notices seeking possession as amended by the Coronavirus Act 2020
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Health and safety obligations, repairs and inspections in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19)
This guidance is advisory and informs you about recent changes to the law. All guidance is subject to frequent updates and should be checked regularly for currency.
We urge all landlords and tenants to abide by the latest government guidance on COVID-19.
The guidance in this document applies to England only. Some of the measures referred to also apply in Wales. You can find guidance from the Welsh Government.
You can find guidance from the Scottish Government on these matters.
Differences in Tenancy Types and the Six Geese a Laying
Using the correct contracts when letting out a property is extremely important.
There are so many variants of generic contracts which range from the Assured Shorthand Tenancy (AST) to a variety of Common Law Agreements and Licences which are used for grazing purposes, boat hire, garages, parking, sheds and much more. Understanding the differences between contracts will help understand how to navigate the tenancy correctly.
No DSS, No DWP, No Benefits - Updated Guidance for Lettings Professionals
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has now clarified advice the CMA’s guidance for lettings professionals on consumer protection law. How did we get here? Shelter started their campaign "Stop DSS Discrimination" in 2018, which lead to examining blanket adverts that stated "No DSS", “considered” by Shelter to be discriminatory. The campaign lead to the property portals restricting the use of the phrase "No DSS" and some major lenders removing the restriction within their mortgage agreements. The CMA has now updated guidance in relation to the way in which properties to be let are advised and what can or cannot be said within the advert.